Key Highlights
- Late Herbert Wigwe is linked to 106 luxury properties in London.
- Wigwe ranks 7th among overseas owners of prime London real estate.
- His portfolio is valued significantly, placing him ahead of UAE's Private Department.
- The findings emerge from a report analyzing overseas ownership of UK real estate.
- Wigwe, his wife, and son tragically died in a helicopter crash on February 9, 2024.
Late Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe, the former Chief Executive Officer of Access Corporation Plc, is reportedly linked to 106 luxury properties in London. This disclosure comes from an exclusive report by The Londoner, which analyzed newly released data on overseas ownership of UK real estate.
The report ranks Wigwe among the top owners of prime London properties, ahead of several influential individuals and institutions. His 106-property portfolio places him 7th in terms of holdings, surpassing entities like the Private Department of the President of the UAE (84 properties), Ashah Joosab (80 properties), and the Washington State Investment Board (51 properties).
John Corless tops the list with 246 properties, followed by Sarah Bard with 130 properties, Simon Reuben with 129, Alexander Bard with 122, Rit Thirakomen with 120, and Wolfgang Peter Egger with 120 properties. The analysis shows how private individuals can amass significant influence in London’s real estate market, sometimes surpassing institutional investors.
Many of London’s most valuable properties are held via offshore companies registered in Jersey, Guernsey, and the British Virgin Islands. This allows owners to maintain anonymity while controlling high-value real estate across the capital. Historically, these offshore structures made tracing property ownership extremely difficult, though they remain legal.
The 2022 UK law requiring overseas entities owning UK real estate to declare beneficial owners has started to expose previously hidden networks. Using data compiled by Dan Neidle of Tax Policy Associates, The Londoner identified 32,611 London properties owned by overseas entities.
Wigwe’s portfolio of 106 luxury London properties reflects the growing presence and influence of international investors in the city’s high-value real estate market.
Late Herbert Wigwe was the Founding Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc. He, along with his wife and son, died on Friday, 9 February 2024, in a helicopter accident in the United States. The Eurocopter EC 130, en route from Palm Springs to Boulder City, crashed around 10 pm (US California Time). Wigwe and his family were reportedly headed to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas at the time of the accident. His death marked the loss of one of Nigeria’s most prominent banking figures.
